I wish they had implemented folders as labels instead of strict hierarchical folders. Many a times creating hard folder hierarchy is not possible. For example, a workflow could exist in “Payments” as well as “Scheduled workflows” as well as “Communication Notifications” folders.
13 Likes
We really need a “Print to Text” button that prints all the logic of the workflows/actions/expressions into text format.
Crucial for debugging with chatGPT.
2 Likes
Hello,
I cannot move all my workflows. My action “go to page…” doesnt want to move last, but it has to ! 
Thank you !
Maybe its a bug, you can avoid this problem for now by having a condition which is always true at your go to step. Then you will not get an error.
I’m with you. This new version is unworkable for me. It’s made it worse, not better and will make it even more complicated and click intensive that it is today. This is not an improvement in any way, shape or form.
3 Likes
It is an error with the new version, with the old I can move it at the end, where it has to be
Old version was much better as per UX, the latest one wastes a lot of time if you are implementing workflows with name. Further, if you have 30+ workflow elements, you have to scroll down and can’t remember the prior one, which condition you set for which stage. Very irritating behaviour overall with new version.
3 Likes
Overall the UX is worse on the new version. It is much better for building individual workflow edits (which wasn’t a huge problem before tbh), but it’s now significantly worse for navigating workflows. On some pages I have 50+ workflows - the vertical flow doesn’t work for this. It’s requires lots of scrolling and it’s hard to find the right one they are all named very similarly, andthere is no ability to sort. Having to retrospectively go back to rename/organise all the workflows names and folders is too time consuming.
In my opinion it would be better to have the folders on the left, list of workflows in the middle and then a vertically scrolling workflow builder on the right-side which appears when a workflow is clicked.
3 Likes
If statements, loops and parallels are on the way. No dates set yet but the point of this overhaul is to create the opportunity for them down the line during bubblecon they shared a sample of what this could look like.
7 Likes
I think the revamp is a good start. Suggestions…
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Show individual actions in the sidebar
They should appear hierarchical within the list, indented beneath the workflow (with the workflow indented beneath the folder).
That would make it quicker to locate a specific action using the search/filter field. Instead of seeing just the number of matches, you could click directly on the match, and the action would be scrolled into view and selected on the node graph.
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Implement expand / collapse icons
There should be 3 icons at the top of the sidebar for collapsing all (showing only folders), showing only workflows and folders, and expanding all (showing all actions).
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Allow toggling the display of conditional expressions
This would simplify and declutter the node graph, providing a high-level synopsis without excessive verbosity. It would also enable more nodes to be shown within the available vertical real estate. This would be a global - not per node - toggle (preferably with a hot key).
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Allow delete key to remove items
It’s usually quicker and more convenient to press delete (than select from a contextual menu), as long as there’s a confirmation dialog where appropriate.
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Allow user to set width of sidebar
…like the elements tree.
5 Likes
I don’t know if it was because of the new workflow that I enabled, now when I enter the database and put it in the live version, when I try to return to the development version the system doesn’t allow it, it stays in a loop, and returns to live.
Hi @acdeassissantos – I recommend submitting a bug report for this. You can use the bug report form or open a ticket through our support chatbot.
I have submitted my feedback on editor via the “submit feedback” in editor. However, that interface does not give any confirmation of feedback getting submitted and there is no record of what I submitted.
So I thought I’ll put it here just for my and others’ records.
I have submitted following points:
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Implementing folders like labels instead of hard folder hierarchy as labels are more flexible and allow a workflow to be in multiple folders
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Default screen to have workflows shown like how it was before or in some other easy to access/navigate way instead of leaving complete screen blank and us having to search for workflows by scrolling and squinting eyes and also working with texts in workflow names getting cut
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There was an important item related to the workflow tab UX. It was here: Fix editor UI to communicate order of actions in workflows more intuitively | Bubble
Looks like this has been ignored while redesigning and the “steps giving illusion of sequence in which code will run” is still there. In fact, it is even accentuated now.
- Also, earlier workflows were organised in some way e.g. API workflows were together, custom events were together, “page is loaded” was always first etc. Now that organisation is gone. Maybe you can have that organisation auto created via default folders?
2 Likes
Agreed. The new version makes it much slower to navigate and more button intensive to make changes. The older version was much more compact. Unlike Newed’s example, I would like to see folders at the same level as unorganized workflows. When a folder is clicked, it shows all the workflows inside of it, similar to navigation in Windows File Explorer (see below).
The primary issue I see with the new workflow editor is that it prioritizes complex, singular workflows, whereas I expect most users (and I) have many small, simple workflows, with more complex tasks handled by a back-end API. The current UI is so much more compact for many small workflows. If there is some benefit to the vertical component of this, then perhaps it would be an optional view - primarily for more complex workflows.
3 Likes
Can we PLEASE get the video popup to go away after being dismissed…
3 Likes
The direction and endgoals of the revamp are great, and this is a good start. Like all changes, it will take some getting used to, as well as some refining and tweaking.
Conditional Branching, Loops!! and Parallel Processing are all absolutely huge and I cannot wait for those features to launch. Incredible work!
I agree that workflow selection is now too tricky, and should be changed or reverted to something resembling what it was before. Once the workflow is selected, the new screen would be shown.
Little Issue -
If you are not an admin of the app, you cannot revert back to the old workflow editor because only admins can access the version tab on settings, so it’s impossible to disable the experimental feature the feature.
Agency seats often don’t have admin rights, and I generally think that the version tab should be accessible to non-admin accounts too.
6 Likes
Thanks. It worked for me. I went back to the previous version.
I am happy with that new view globaly. It’s more minimal. The data is better display on each action of the wf. You can focus more on a single wf without having all the others on the background disturbing. The titles management is more efficient is that new version.
However I have found some bugs / diavantages :
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When you copy a workflow, it always paste 2 new workflows. So I have to delete the one extra copied everytime.
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The left control panel is too short compare to the my screen size. You have a huge empty space. I’d prefere to show all my wf titles and have a bigger left pannel instead of shricking the titles and keep that huge emptyness.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to have a bit of space so only the selected wf is highligted. But it could be great to settle the length of that left pannel as everyone likes it. And the selected wf is staying center in the right pannel with 2 equal void in each of its side.
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When I click on the note icon, nothing happen :
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Why there is no note icon on the main wf rectangle :
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It could be great sometimes to have a view with all are workflows from a category. Like the view before the update. So if we click on a categorized folder, we could have all our workflows in one view. It’s better to think global by theme if we have a general view.
Another way to have that old general view by category could be to add a toggle button that show or unshow the general view
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For a backend wf, you can’t “Terminate a workflow” even if the return data is optional. As long as you have a “Return Data” in your custom event, the only navigation event you can put is “Return Data” and not terminate this wf
For now, it’s my first thoughts after 1 day using that beta displaying. I prefer that new version than the old one. Congrats guys.
5 Likes
Dear [Development Team],
I hope this message finds you well. I want to share my thoughts on the recent changes to the workflow layout in Bubble.io, as they have significantly impacted my ability to work smoothly within the app. While I understand the goal of improving user experience, the current layout disrupts the natural flow of tasks, especially in complex scenarios. I kindly request the addition of a “REVERT” button to allow users to revert to the previous layout until this new version is optimized and accepted through consensus.
Key Issues:
Users typically access the workflow section through two main pathways:
- “Add/Edit Workflow” button from the inspector – This method allows for seamless task execution since users are not in search or analyze mode but are directly interacting with workflows. In this flow, users know exactly what they are working on, and there’s no need to visually search for elements.
- “Workflow” button in the editor – This method is more suited for users who need to:
- Find a specific workflow.
- Analyze the workflow structure.
- Improve existing workflows based on a holistic view of the app.This method is primarily used for visualizing workflows and less for adding new ones. The new layout complicates this process by forcing unnecessary navigation between pages.
Suggestions for Improvement:
- Integration as a Tab in the Inspector:
The new layout feels better suited as an additional tab in the inspector, rather than being its own separate page. It aligns more with the natural vertical flow of the inspector tabs. Instead of navigating away from the editor, the workflow view should be embedded directly, allowing users to stay focused and avoid unnecessary transitions. - Visual Improvements:
- Icons for Workflows: Implement icons that represent specific actions, making it visually intuitive to differentiate workflows at a glance. Dividing the workflows into sections based on their actions will enhance clarity, as this section is crucial for visualizing the app’s engine.
- Hierarchy of Execution: Workflows should be auto-arranged based on their hierarchy of execution, similar to how the editor organizes elements. This hierarchical view ensures that workflows occurring first are visually prioritized, aiding in understanding the sequence of operations, which is more meaningful than an alphabetical list.
- Prevent Duplicate Workflow Names:
Ensure that workflows cannot have duplicate names. This would help eliminate confusion and improve organization, as each workflow should have a unique identifier to streamline maintenance and updates. - Improved Search Functionality:
Users, like myself, often access the workflow page because we’re struggling to locate a button or element that triggers an action or are in search/analyze mode. Enhancing the search functionality would be greatly beneficial in finding workflows and specific actions faster, especially in larger projects where elements and actions are numerous.
Best Practices & Additional Suggestions:
Research suggests that visual hierarchy and iconography significantly improve usability in complex systems, helping users process large amounts of information more efficiently (Nielsen Norman Group). Applying this principle to workflows will enhance clarity and productivity. Additionally, auto-arranging workflows by execution has been shown to reduce errors and improve task management in various UX studies, supporting a logical flow for users.
I hope these suggestions are helpful, and I appreciate your continued efforts to improve the platform. Please consider implementing these changes or providing a way to revert to the previous workflow until the new one is fully refined.
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.
3 Likes
What I know from meeting and listening to the Bubble team over the last few days is that they are listening very carefully to the community. Whether the community believe it or not.
Regards revert - very easy and already mentioned - just part of the normal way that features are released in the editor. See screenshot.
Regards feedback - address it directly to Bubble with Feedback in the Editor
